


Creature Comforts

by yafan92



Category: Blood and Ash Series - Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29090931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yafan92/pseuds/yafan92
Summary: When Poppy has a nightmare and Casteel is out, Kieran takes it upon himself to comfort her. Takes place after "A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire" so spoiler warning!
Relationships: Poppy Balfour & Kieran Contou, Poppy Balfour/Casteel Da'Neer
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64





	Creature Comforts

**Author's Note:**

> Just a sweet little idea that came to me and wouldn't let me go until I wrote it down.

_Blood covering my hands as my mother disappears. The wild, crazed eyes of a Craven as it rushes at me, pain blossoming on my face, my stomach, my legs as it rips into me with claws and teeth. Menacing laughter. “What a pretty poppy. Pick it and watch it bleed. Not so pretty any longer. Poppy… Poppy…”_

“Poppy! Poppy, wake up!” 

I jerked awake at the feeling of large hands on my arms, at the sound of a familiar voice calling my name. My throat felt raw as I opened my eyes, and I knew that I had been screaming. But as I became aware of my surroundings, I realized it wasn’t my husband hovering above me, the amber gaze I had expected replaced with one of icy blue. 

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Kieran demanded as I sat up, and I released a long, shuddering breath as I buried my face in my hands. My gift expanded of its own accord, and I felt the bitter taste of fear, fading now but stunning me with its intensity. 

“I’m fine,” I rasped. “Just a nightmare.” The bed dipped on my other side and I looked over to see a pure white wolven with his front paws on the bed, his face only inches from mine. He sniffed at me, nudging my cheek with his nose, and I couldn’t help the smile that curled its way up my lips as I reached out to scratch his chin. “Thanks Delano,” I whispered, and I could have sworn he winked at me before pushing himself back onto the floor and trotting out the door. 

“Poppy,” Kieran began, pulling my attention back to him. All thoughts fled from my head as I turned to face him and realized he was fully nude. And very close to me. In my bed.

“You’re naked again,” I blurted, feeling my cheeks flame. 

“Yes,” Kieran agreed, not sounding bothered at all. 

“And you’re in my bed. You’re naked in my bed,” I repeated, somewhat unnecessarily. 

“Well my other form is faster, but lacks the capacity for speech,” Kieran explained slowly, as though speaking to a child. “When I heard you screaming as though you were being murdered, modesty was the last thing on my mind.” 

My gift still connected me to him, and I felt relief settle through him, along with something sweeter. Not quite the taste of berries that I had felt from my parents or Vikter, but if I had to put a name to it, I would have called it… fondness? “You were scared for me?” I asked hesitantly, cutting off the connection. 

“It would hardly look good for me if I allowed the Queen to be murdered on my watch, would it?” Kieran replied dryly. “Not to mention Cas would probably skin me alive and turn me into a rug.” I met his eyes again, and despite his words there was a softness there that led me to throw my arms around his neck.

He stiffened in surprise, before gently bringing his own arms around me, holding me gingerly as though afraid I would break. “Thank you,” I murmured, before pulling back with a sigh. 

Kieran cleared his throat before speaking. “Are you going to be alright?” 

I sighed again. “Yes, although I might as well get up. I can never go back to sleep after a nightmare unless Cas is here.” I looked over at him, noticing for the first time the shadows under his eyes. “I’ll just read for a bit,” I added, gesturing to the stack of books on the nightstand. “You can go get some sleep.” 

“You need rest too,” he argued, and his concern was evident even without opening my gift to him. It warmed me, to know he cared, and not just because of Casteel, whatever he might say. “I could stay, if that would help you.”

My jaw dropped as I gaped at him, utterly lost for words. “You…” I squeaked out. He raised an eyebrow, obviously amused as I continued to stutter. “But… you’re still naked!” 

Kieran laughed, throwing his head back, and stood up from the bed. I averted my gaze as his movements brought _something_ into my line of sight, but I needn’t have worried as moments later his wolven form was leaping onto the bed, the mattress bouncing with his weight. A grin tugged at my lips as he made several small circles, rearranging the sheets and blankets before curling up next to me. 

He looked back over his shoulder to where I still sat, the blankets bunched around my waist, and huffed at me before staring pointedly at my pillow. I smiled fully at his bossiness but laid back, turning on my side so I faced him. Hesitantly, I stretched out my arm, wrapping it over his back and grasping a loose handful of his soft fur. The warmth of his body so close to mine was soothing, as was the gentle lick he gave my hand before relaxing into the bed. I still wasn’t sure if I could sleep, but the comfort of having someone else near was enough that the sounds of my mother’s screams no longer haunted me, and I didn’t see her bloodied face when I at last closed my eyes. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first story for the "Blood and Ash" series - hope y'all liked it! Hopefully many more to come :)


End file.
